Royal Flying Corps

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Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps roundel. The roundel was adopted by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. The roundel has been adopted by Commonwealth air forces, replacing the red circle with a national symbol
Active 13 May 1912 - 1 April 1918
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Motto Per Ardua ad Astra
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Sir David Henderson
Lord Trenchard

The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred totally on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with German pilots and later in the war included the strafing of enemy infantry and emplacements, the bombing of German airfields and later the strategic bombing of German industrial and transportation facilities. On 1 April 1918, the RFC was amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force.

Contents

[edit] Origin and early history

Formed by Royal Warrant on 13 May 1912, the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. Its initial allowed strength was 133 officers, and by the end of that year, it had 12 manned balloons and 36 aeroplanes. The RFC originally came under the responsibility of Brigadier-General Henderson, the Director of Military Training, and had separate branches for the Army and the Navy. Major Sykes commanded the Military Wing and Commander C R Samson commanded the Naval Wing.[1] The Royal Navy however, with different priorities to that of the Army and wishing to retain greater control over its aircraft, formally separated its branch and renamed it the Royal Naval Air Service in 1914.

The RFC's motto was Per ardua ad astra ("Through adversity to the stars"). This remains the motto of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and various Commonwealth air forces.

The RFC's first fatal crash was on 5 July 1912 near Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. Killed were Captain Eustace B. Lorraine and his observer, Staff-Sergeant R.H.V. Wilson. An order was issued after the crash stating "Flying will continue this evening as usual", thus beginning a tradition.

[edit] Aircraft

Main article: List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps

RFC and RNAS aircraft used during the war included:

[edit] Squadrons

Main article: List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

Two of the first three RFC squadrons were formed from the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers: No. 1 Company (a balloon company) becoming No. 1 Squadron, RFC, and No. 2 Company (a 'heavier than air' company) becoming No. 3 Squadron, RFC. A second heavier-than-air squadron, No. 2 Squadron, RFC, was also formed on the same day.

No. 4 Squadron, RFC was formed from No. 2 Sqn in August 1912, and No. 5 Squadron, RFC from No. 3 Sqn in July 1913.

By the end of the First World War, the Royal Flying Corps comprised some 150 squadrons.

The composition of an RFC squadron varied depending on its designated role, although the Commanding Officer was usually a Major (in a non-operational role), with the Squadron 'Flights' (annotated A, B, C etc) the basic tactical and operational unit, each commanded by a Captain. A 'Recording Officer' (of Captain/Lieutenant rank) would act as Intelligence Officer and Adjudant, commanding 2 or 3 NCOs and 10 other ranks in the Administration section of the Squadron. Each flight contained on average 6-10 pilots (and 6-10 observers if applicable) with a Senior Sergeant and 36 other ranks (as Fitters, Riggers,Metal smiths, Armourers etc). The average squadron also boasted an Equipment Officer, Armaments Officer (each with 5 other ranks) and a Transport Officer, in charge of 22 other ranks.

[edit] Wings

Wings in the Royal Flying Corps consisted of a number of squadrons.

When the Royal Flying Corps was established it was intended to be a joint service and given the rivalry that existed between the British Army and Royal Navy certain new terminology was thought necessary in order to avoid marking the Corps out as having a particularly Army or Navy ethos. Accordingly, the Corps was originally split into two wings: a Military Wing (i.e. an army wing) and a Naval Wing. By 1914, the Naval Wing had become the Royal Naval Air Service, having gained its independence from the Royal Flying Corps.

By November 1914 the Flying Corps had significantly expanded and it was felt necessary to create organizational units which would control collections of squadrons; the term "wing" was re-used for these new organizational units.

The Military Wing was abolished and its units based in Great Britain were re-grouped as the Administrative Wing.[1] The RFC squadrons in France were grouped under the newly established 1st Wing and the 2nd Wing. The 1st Wing was assigned to the support of the 1st Army whilst the 2nd Wing supported the 2nd Army

As the Flying Corps grew so did the number of wings. The 3rd Wing was established on 1 March 1915 and on 15 April the 5th Wing came into existence. By August that year the 6th Wing had been created and in November 1915 a 7th Wing and 8th Wing had also been stood up.

[edit] Brigades

Following, Sir David Henderson's return from France to the War Office in August 1915, he submitted a scheme to the Army Council which was intended to expand the command structure of the Flying Corps. The Corps' wing would be grouped in pairs to form brigades and the commander of each brigade would hold the temporary rank of brigadier-general. The scheme met with Lord Kitchener's approval and although many more junior staff officers opposed it, the scheme was adopted.[2]

The following brigades were established (the date of establishment is shown in parentheses):[2]

The IX, X and XI brigades were formed as part of the Royal Air Force and never existed as RFC formations.

[edit] Bases

[edit] Royal Flying Corps of Canada

  • Camp Borden - Canada 1917-1918 - Royal Flying Corps of Canada
  • Armour Heights Field - Canada 1917-1918 (pilot training, School of Special Flying to train instructors)
  • Leaside Aerodrome - Canada 1917-1918 (Artillery Cooperation School)
  • Long Branch Aerodrome - Canada 1917-1918
  • Curtiss School of Aviation - flying-boat station at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island 1915-1918; main school and hanger facilities at Long Branch
  • Trethewey Airfield (Trethewey Model Farm), North Toronto, Ontario
  • Deseronto Airfield, Deseronto, Ontario - pilot training
  • Camp Mohawk and Camp Rathbun (Tyendinaga Indian Reserve) near Belleville, Ontario - pilot training
  • Armament School in Hamilton, Ontario
  • Beamsville Camp, Ontario - School of Aerial Fighting

[edit] First World War

Recruiting poster
Recruiting poster

The RFC was also responsible for the manning and operation of observation balloons on the Western front.

For the first half of the war, as with the land armies deployed, the French air force vastly outnumbered the RFC, and accordingly did more of the fighting. Despite the primitive aircraft, aggressive leadership by RFC commander Hugh Trenchard and the adoptionof a continually offensive stance operationally in efforts to pin the enemy back led to many brave fighting exploits and high casualties - over 700 in 1916, the rate worsening thereafter, until the RFC's nadir in April 1917 ; dubbed 'Bloody April'.

This aggressive if costly doctrine did however provide the Army General Staff with vital and up-to-date intelligence on German positions and numbers through continual photographic and observational reconnaissance though the entire war.

[edit] 1914-15; Initial Actions with the British Expeditionary Force

At the start of the war, numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5 squadrons were equipped with aeroplanes, whilst the 1st Squadron was equipped with balloons.

The RFC's first casualties were before the Corps even arrived in France. Lt Robert R. Skene and Air Mechanic Ray Barlow were killed on 12 August 1914 when their probably overloaded plane crashed on the way to rendezvous with the rest of the RFC near Dover. Skene had been the first Englishman to do a loop in an airplane.

On 13 August 1914 2, 3, and 4 squadrons, comprising 60 machines, departed Dover for the British Expeditionary Force in France. The 5th Squadron joined them a few days later. The aircraft took a route across the English Channel from Dover to Boulogne. They then followed the French coast to the Bay of the Somme before travelling inland by following the river to Amiens. When the BEF moved forward to Maubeuge the RFC accompanied them.

On 19 August the Corps undertook its first action of the War with two of its aircraft performing aerial reconnaissance. The mission was not a great success. In order to save weight each aircraft carried a pilot only instead of the usual pair of pilot and observer. Because of this, and poor weather, both of the pilots lost their way and only one was able to complete his task.

Four days later on 23 August 1914 the RFC found itself fighting in the Battle of Mons and two days after that the Flying Corps gained its first air victory. On 25 August Lt C.W. Wilson and Lt C.E.C. Rabagliati forced down a German Etrich Taube which had approached their aerodrome while they were refueling their Avro. Another RFC machine landed nearby and the RFC observer chased the German pilot into some nearby woods.

After the British retreat from Mons, the Corps fell back to the Marne where in September they the RFC proved its value by identifying von Kluck's First Army's left wheel against the exposed French flank. This information was significant as the First Army's manoeuvre allowed French forces to make an effective counter-attack and also prevented the encirclement of the British Army at Mons.

Sir John French's (the British Expeditionary Force commander) first official dispatch on 7 September included the following: "I wish particularly to bring to your Lordships' notice the admirable work done by the Royal Flying Corps under Sir David Henderson. Their skill, energy, and perseverance has been beyond all praise. They have furnished me with most complete and accurate information, which has been of incalculable value in the conduct of operations. Fired at constantly by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout. Further, by actually fighting in the air, they have succeeded in destroying five of the enemy's machines."

[edit] Markings

Early in the war RFC aircraft were marked with Union Flags on the wings. The aircraft were often fired upon by ground forces because the markings were mistaken for the crosses on German aircraft. To prevent this the RFC adopted the familiar roundel and tail cockade markings from the French, though with the colours in reverse order.

[edit] Roles and Responsibilities

Later in September, during the First Battle of the Aisne which followed, the RFC made use of wireless telegraphy to assist with artillery targeting and took aerial photographs for the first time.[3] From 16,000 feet a photographic plate could cover some 2 miles by 3 miles of front line in sharp detail.

One of the initial and most vital uses for RFC aircraft was the spotting of artillery fire. The results of the artillery fire were easy enough for the pilot to observe; the problem was communicating any necessary corrections to the firing battery. The early method was for the flier to write a note and drop it to the ground where it could be recovered. The RFC pioneered experiments with radio transmitters in their aircraft. Unfortunately the transmitters of the time weighed 75 pounds and filled an entire seat in the cockpit. This meant that the pilot had to fly the aircraft, navigate, observe the fall of the shells and transmit the results by morse code by himself. Also, the radios in the aircraft could not receive so the pilots could not be sent any instructions or questions from the ground. This work was originally done by a special Wireless Flight which was attached to No. 4 Squadron RFC. Eventually this flight was expanded into No. 9 Squadron under Major Hugh Dowding.

A more unusual mission for the RFC was the delivery of spies to behind enemy lines. The first such mission took place on the morning of 13 September 1915 and was not a success. The plane crashed, the pilot and spy were badly injured and they were both captured. (Two years later however the pilot, Captain T.W. Mulcahy-Morgan, escaped and returned to England.) Later missions were more successful. In addition to delivering the spies the RFC was also responsible for keeping the spies supplied with the carrier pigeons that were used to send reports back to base. In 1916 a Special Duty Flight was formed as part of the Headquarters Wing to handle these and other unusual assignments.

[edit] Saint-Omer

As the war moved into the period of the mobile warfare commonly called the Race to the Sea, the Corps moved forward again. On 8 October 1914 the RFC arrived in Saint-Omer and a headquarters was established at the aerodrome next to the local race course. Over the next few days the four squadrons arrived and for the next four years Saint-Omer was a focal point for all RFC operations in the field. Although most squadrons only used Saint-Omer as a transit camp before moving on to other locations, the base grew in importance as it increased its logistic support to the RFC.

[edit] 1916-17

Before the Battle of the Somme (1916) the RFC mustered 421 aircraft, with 4 kite-balloon squadrons and 14 balloons. These made up four brigades, which worked with four British armies.By the end of the Somme offensive in November 1916, the RFC had lost 800 aircraft and 252 aircrew killed (all causes) since July 1916.

As 1917 dawned the Allied Air Forces felt the effect of the German Air Force's increasing superiority in both organisation and equipment (-if not numbers). The recently formed Jastas, equipped with the Albatros fighter, inflicted very heavy losses on the RFC's increasingly obsolete aircraft, culminating in Bloody April, the nadir of the RFC's fortunes in WW1.

To support the Battle of Arras beginning on 9 April 1917, the RFC deployed 25 squadrons, totalling 365 aircraft, a third of which were fighters (scouts). The British lost 245 aircraft with 211 aircrew killed or missing & 108 as prisoners of war. The German Air Services lost just 66 aircraft from all causes.

By the summer of 1917 however, the introduction of the next generation of technically advanced combat aircraft (such as the SE5, Sopwith Camel and Bristol Fighter) ensured losses fell and damage inflicted on the enemy increased.

Close support and battlefield co-operation tactics with the British Army were further developed by November 1917, when low-flying fighter aircraft co-operated highly effectively with advancing columns of tanks and infantry during the Battle of Cambrai.

1917 saw 2,094 RFC aircrew killed in action or missing.

[edit] Italy

The failure of the Italian Army to contain the Austro-Hungarian forces in Northern Italy led to the transfer of 3 RFC fighter ( 28, 45 and 66 Squadrons) and one two-seater squadron (34 Squadron) to the Italian Front in November 1917.

[edit] 1918

The German Offensive in March 1918 was an all-out effort to win the war before the industrial and numerical might of the USA could be brought to bear on the Western Front. In the weeks following the launch of the attack, RFC crews flew unceasingly, with all types of aircraft bombing and strafing ground forces, often from extremely low level, meantime also bringing back vital reports of the fluid ground fighting.

The RFC contributed significantly to slowing the German advance and ensuring the controlled retreat of the Allied Armies did not turn into a rout. The battle reached its peak on 12 April, when the newly formed RAF dropped more bombs, and flew more missions that any other day during the war. The cost to halting the German advance was high however, with over 400 aircrew killed and 1000 aircraft lost to enemy action.

[edit] Amalgamation with the RNAS

On 17 August 1917, General Jan Smuts presented a report to the War Council on the future of air power. Because of its potential for the 'devastation of enemy lands and the destruction of industrial and populous centres on a vast scale', he recommended a new air service be formed that would be on a level with the Army and Royal Navy.

Surprisingly, Trenchard was opposed to a new service[citation needed]. He had always felt that the purpose of the RFC was to support the Army (and the RNAS the Navy) and was worried that a new service wouldn't provide the same level of tactical battle field support. He was also concerned about the careers of the pilots. Because of the high demands on RFC pilots many of them became burned out and were unable to continue in combat. Since pilots were seconded to the RFC from other regiments they could return to those units once they were no longer able to fly. In a separate service this would no longer be an option. The formation of the new service however would make the underutilised men and machines of the RNAS available for action across the Western Front.

On 1 April 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to form a new service, the Royal Air Force. The RAF was under the control of the new Air Ministry. After starting in 1914 with some 2,073 personnel by the start of 1919 the RAF had 4,000 combat aircraft and 114,000 personnel.

[edit] Recruitment & Training

Many pilots were initially seconded to the RFC from their original regiments by becoming an observer. Some RFC ground crew (often NCO's or below) also volunteered for these flying duties as they then received supplementary flying pay. There was no formal training for observers until 1917 and many were sent on their first sortie with only a brief introduction to the aircraft from the pilot. Once certified as fully qualified the observer was awarded the coveted half-wing brevet. Once awarded this could not be forfeited so it essentially amounted to a decoration. Originally in the RFC, as in most early air forces, the observer was in command of the aircraft while the pilot just 'drove' the machine. This was found to be less effective in combat than having the pilot in charge. Observers were usually taught only enough piloting to be able to land their aircraft in case the pilot was killed or wounded. It was very common for experienced observers to be selected for pilot training.

Applicant for aircrew generally entered the RFC as a cadet via the depot pool for basic training. The cadet would then generally pass on to the School of Military Aeronautics at either Reading or Oxford. Following this period of theoretical learning the cadet was posted to a Training Sqaudron, either in the UK or overseas.

Colonel Robert Smith-Barry, a former CO of 60 Squadron, appalled at the poor standard of newly trained pilots and high fatality rate during training in 1915-16, formulated a comprehensive curriculum for pilot training, and with the agreement of Trenchard, returned to the UK to implement his training ethos at Gosport in 1917. The immediate effect was to halve fatalities in training. The curriculum was based on a combination of classroom theory and dual flight instruction. Students were not to be discouraged from potentially dangerous manoeuvres but were exposed to them in a controlled environment so that the student could learn to safely rectify errors of judgement.

Dual flying training usually weeded out those not suitable for flying training ( approximately 45% of the initial class intake) before the remaining cadets were taught in the air by an instructor ( initially a 'tour-expired' pilot sent for a rest from an operational squadron in France, without any specific training on how to instruct). After flying 10 to 20 hours dual instruction, the pupil would be ready to 'go solo'.

In May 1916 pilots under instruction were further trained for fighting in the air. Schools of special flying were set up at Turnberry, Marske,Sedgeforth,Feiston, East Fortune and Ayr, where finished pilots could simulate combat flying under the supervision of veteran instructors. [4]

In 1917, the American, British, and Canadian Governments agreed to join forces for training. Between April 1917 and January 1919, Camp Borden in Ontario hosted instruction on flying, wireless, air gunnery and photography, training 1,812 RFC Canada pilots and 72 for the United States. It now hosts the largest training wing of the Canadian Forces. Training also took place at several other Ontario locations.

During winter 1917-18, RFC instructors trained with the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army on three airfields accommodating about six thousand men, at Camp Taliaferro near Fort Worth, Texas. Training was hazardous; 39 RFC officers and cadets died in Texas. Eleven remain there, reinterred in 1924 at a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery where a monument honours their sacrifice.

As the war drew on the RFC increasingly drew on men from across the British Empire including South Africa, Canada and Australia. Over 200 Americans joined the RFC before the USA became a combatant. Eventually Canadians made up nearly a third of RFC aircrew.

Although as the war progressed and training became far safer, by the end of the war, some 8,000 had been killed while training or in flying accidents. [5]

[edit] Parachutes

In 1915 inventor Everard Calthrop offered the RFC his patented parachute. On 13 January 1917, Captain Clive Collett made the first British military parachute jump from a heavier-than-air craft. The jump, from 600 feet, was successful but the higher authorities in the RFC and the Air Board were opposed to the issuing of parachutes to pilots. It was felt at the time that a parachute might tempt a pilot to abandon his aircraft in an emergency rather than continuing the fight. The parachutes of the time were also heavy and clumbersome, and the added weight was frowned apon by experienced pilots as it adversely affected aircraft with already marginal performance. It was not until 16 September 1918 that the order was issued for all single seater aircraft to be fitted with parachutes.

[edit] End of the War

At the end of the war there were 5,182 pilots in service (just 2% of the RAF). In comparison the casulties from the RFC/RNAS/RAF for 1914-18 totalled 9,378 killed or missing, with 7,245 wounded. Some 900,000 flying hours on operations were logged, and 6,942 tons of bombs dropped. The RFC claimed some 7,054 German aircraft and balloons either destroyed, sent 'down out of control' or 'driven down'.[6]

Eleven RFC members received the Victoria Cross during the First World War. Initially the RFC did not believe in publicising the victory totals and exploits of their Aces. Eventually however, public interest and the newspapers' demand for heroes lead to this policy being abandoned, with the feats of aces such as Captain Albert Ball raising morale in the service as well as on the "home front".

For a short period after amalgamation, pre-RAF ranks such as Lieutenant and Major continued to exist. For this reason some early RAF gravestones show ranks which no longer exist in the modern RAF. A typical example of this is James McCudden's grave.

[edit] Field commanders

The following had command of the RFC in the field:[4]

[edit] Chiefs of staff in the field

The following served as chief of staff for the RFC in the field:[5]

[edit] Some members of the RFC

[edit] Militarily prominent

[edit] Otherwise prominent

[edit] In fiction

v • d • e
Lists relating to aviation
General
Military
Accidents/incidents
Records

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] References

  1. ^ British Military Aviation in 1914 - Part 3. RAF Museum Web Site - Timeline of British Military Aviation History. RAF Museum. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  2. ^ Boyle, Andrew [1962]. "Chapter 6", Trenchard Man of Vision. St. James's Place London: Collins, 157. 
  3. ^ The British Air Services Memorial at St Omer
  4. ^ 'First of the Few', Denis Winter, 1982
  5. ^ 'First of the Few', Denis Winter, 1982
  6. ^ History of the RAF, Bowyer, 1977 (Hamlyn)
  • Barker, Ralph (2002). The Royal Flying Corps in World War I. Robinson. ISBN 1-84119-470-0. 
  • Drew, George A. (1930). Canada's Fighting Airmen. MacLean. 
Preceded by
Air Battalion		 Royal Flying Corps
1912-1918		 Succeeded by
Royal Air Force
On amalgamation with the RNAS